Shaniko Butte Fire (Warm Springs) OR

I have had the pleasure of sharing videos by Steve Konrad on this blog, see for example my articles of Aug. 19, 2013, May 23, 2014, and May 26, 2014. I don't have any more videos from my friend Steve to show you at the moment. But I did hear from him yesterday morning and he told me that he had just gotten word that his crew was deployed to wildfire in or near Warm Springs, Oregon.

I decided to devote todays article to the fire that Steve's crew is working on. I can't say with absolute certainty that the fire that Steve's crew is working on is the Shanko Butte Fire (OR-WSA-H8AK), but it is the only active wildfire that I have found currently burning in Oregon that is near Warm Springs, Oregon. By the way, I believe that Warm Springs is in or near the lands of The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs.

Unfortunately, I don't have a whole lot of information about the Shaniko Butte Fire to share with you or link to. The latest inciweb info on the Shaniko Butte Fire (accessed 7/16/14 about 5 PM EDT) has minimal information, the date the fire started (July 13th), and some kml fire perimeter files that I used to create the google earth image that I am sharing with you. According to information that I obtained from the kml fire perimeter file that fire had burned 12,197.85 acres as of July 16, 2014.

Shaniko Butte Fire Perimeter on July 16, 2014 (from Google Earth)

The morning report for July 16, 2014 from the Northwest Coordinating Center describes the Shaniko Butte Fire:

Start 7/13. Grass and brush. Cause lightning. … Extreme fire behavior. Values at risk; residences and structures.

In addition, the Northwest Coordinating Center has a blog with information on fires buying in the northwest, including an entry on July 15, 2014 at 7 PM reporting the loss of one residence.

KTVZ in Bend Oregon has been covering this fire, their latest report (with a video) update on July 16, 2014 may be found here. KTVZ is reporting that 280 personal (including my buddy Steve and his crew?) are working the fire, which is not contained as I write this. They also report that aircraft may be working the fire, with the possibility of helicopters dipping from the Deschutes River.

For my buddy Steve Konrad and the rest of his Tom Fery Crew, I am thinking of you. If this it turns out that I have mis-identified the fire that you are working on, well the thought is there. And of course there are many, many other wildland fire crews out there (US, Canada, and globally) working fires. This article is for all of you. You do what you do to keep us safe from wildfires, often working in situations of extreme wildfire behavior. Stay safe!